Method and means of disposal of refuse



July 14, 1936. R, F. LEFTW|C|| 2,047,375

METHOD AND MEANS OF DISPOSAL OF REFUSE INVENTOR July 14, 1936. R F. LEFTW|QH 2,047,375

METHOD AND MEANS OF DISPOSAL OF REFUSE Filed May 17, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY 5 Wwf/@W dawg@ July 14, 1936. R, F EFTW|CH 2,047,375

METHOD AND MEANS 0F DISPOSAL 0F REFUSE Filed May 17, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGB.

ATTORNEY b July 14, 1936. R. F. LEFTwlcH METHOD AND MEANS OF DISPOSAL OF REFUSE Filed May 17, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 //M/IVENTOR BY v '/ATTORNEYS July 14, 1936.

R. F. LEFTWICH METHOD AND MEANS OF DIS-POSAL OF REFUSE Filed May 1'7, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS July 14, 1936.

R. F. LEFTWICH METHOD AND MEANS 0F DISPOSAL 0E REFUSE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed ,May 17, 1952 @HaHa/N@ Mmm/NGS E N TO R j@ f A'ORNEY FIS July 14, 1936- R. F. LEFTWICH 2,047,375 METHOD AND MEANS OF DISPOSAL OF' REFUSE Filed May 17, 1932 Sheets-Sheet 7 o INVENT R 1 July 14, 1936. R. F. LEFTwlcH l 2,047,375

METHODv AND MEANS OF DISPOSAL OF REFUSE Filed May 17, 1932 8 Sheets-5h98?l 8 TroRNEYS Patented July 14, 1936 2,047,375

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND MEANS OF DISPOSAL OF REFUSE Robert F. Leftwieh, Bronxville, N. Y., assignor to Greenawalt Ineinerating Corporation, New York, N. Y., a' corporation of New York Application May 17, 1932, Serial No. 611,848

4 Claims. (Cl. 110-8) This invention relates toi improvements in sume in the dumping mechanism prior to reversal plants and methods of refuse disposal.` and dumping of the car;

In large cities, at the present time, the dis- Fig. 6 is a horizontal transverse sectional View posal of refuse presents a difficult problem. The of the parts shown in Fig. 4. The section is 5 refuse which must be disposed of is of all sorts taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 4; 5 and sizes and includes rubbish, ashes and garbage. Figs. 'l to 18 inclusive, are diagrammatic Views Efforts are made in present disposal plants to showing the sequence of steps of various operseparately dispose of these materials, but diii'iations of the plant;

culty is always experienced in the collection of Fig. 19 is a sectional view of a modied con- 10 the refuse in separated condition. Due to this struction of incinerator; and 10 difficulty of obtaining the constituents properly Fig. 20 is a transverse horizontal sectional View separated :from one another, the problem of refuse of the modied form, the section being taken on vdisposal is made very difficult. line I9-I9 of Fig. 19.

Accordingly the present invention has for its It may be explained that by classifying the refobjects the provision of a novel refuse disposal use in this manner that the constituents of the 15- plant which will enable refuse to be disposed of refuse which have relatively greatest fuel Value and the bulk thereof reduced to a sanitary clinkerwill be largely concentrated in the middling sized like form without requiring the materials to be material. By the removal of the nes, both the separately collected and delivered to the plant. middling sized material and the oversize material Another object of the present invention resides are in a better condition for subsequent burning. 20 in the provision oi a refuse disposal plantY and The rines, if present in the material, would tend method which will enable continuous burning to impede burning by diminishing the porosity operations to be carried out to the general endv of the mass. By wholly removing these iines, 5

that increased capacity may be secured for a` the middling size material in particular, when in given unit of a plant and further to the general a mass, is quite porous and is admirably adaptable 25 l end that obnoxious gases may be destroyed and for ready ignition and for rapid burning at a a sanitary non-bulky residue produced. high temperature so that such material can be Further and other objects of the present invenutilized for effecting the burning of the less readtion will be hereinafter set forth in the accomily ignitied oversize material.

panying specification and claims and shown in When the refuse is brought into the plant it is 30 the drawings which by wayrof illustration show first classified and screened into oversize mawhat I now consider to be a preferred emboditerial, middling material and nes. Suitable ment of my invention. screening arrangements can be provided to have In the dl'aWIlgSI the oversized material pass over a 1% screen, the

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view middling material to pass over a 1/4 screen and 35 of the incinerating plant. The section is taken the iine material to pass through a 1/4" screen.

on line I-I of Fig. 2; The ne material is taken directly to an aggregate Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken substanplant or is otherwise directly disposed of. tially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, which view shows After the refuse material has been thus screened 40 the common combustion chamber and the c011- and classified, the middling material and the 40 neetions to the Stack, eta; oversize material are preferably placed in sepa- Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal sectional View, rate Piles Orl the Charging lOOr. WhiCh Charging the section being taken substantially on line 3--3 lOOI iS deSglated l@ in Fg- 1- In this figure, of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction 0f the the reference character II represents a pile of 45 arrows; middling sized material, the reference characters Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of certain parts I2 represent piles of oversize material. From the shown in smaller scale in Fig. 1 showing Va carin charging floor I the middling material II is incinerating position and showing thev mechanism loaded into two hoppers respectively designated for dumping the car when it is withdrawn from I3 and I3a on Fig. 1. Such hoppers are provided 50 the furnace; with suitable gate bottoms I4 and I4a.. With Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the middling material in the hoppers, the first line 5-5 of Figs. 4 and 6 and looking in the dioperation is to charge one of the grate cars I5. rection of the arrows.. This view also shows by The grate car I5 is placed under the hopper I3 dashed lines, the position which a car would asand is then charged with middling material. (See 55 also Fig. 7 which indicates this step of the operation.)

In the operation of the incinerating or refuse disposal plant, it is desirable to provide for continuous operation of the various incinerating units. A multiplicity of such units may be provided in any plant. For this purpose each incinerating unit is made with two re box chambers respectivelydesignated I5 and |6 in Fig. l and both of these re box chambers of the single incinerating unit are arranged to discharge theirgases of combustion into a single combustion chamber generally designated l? in Figs. 2 and' 3. Selective inter-communication is afforded between the fire box chamber |6- and/or |611- and the common combustion chamber |1 by means. of two individually operated dampers |8 and |821 (see Figs. 1 and 2). The dampers. are; adaptedr to be operated in any suitable manner, asby separate hydraulic cylinders, one of which is shown at |9a in Fig, 2. From the common combustion chamber 1 the gases of combustion pass byl a baiiie wall 20 andfmally are directed to a stack 2|. Below theV l'irev chambers |6 and |6a are wind box chambers 221 and 22a (see Fig. 1).. Suitable gates 23` and 23a. are provided. for these wind box chambers, such gates beingl operable in any desired manner as by hydraulic. cylindersV 24 and 24a.. Air for blast purposes issupplied to; the wind boxes in any desired.- manner as by inde-- pendent fans 25` and 25a, whichv fans. discharge into the wind boxes, independent dampers- 26 and 26a being provided intermediate the fansand the wind boxes. (see Fig. 2); Disposed adjacent the bottom of the wind boxes 22 and 22a are suitable igniting devices suchas oilv or gas burnersdesignated 21. and 21a. For the purpose of supplying air for secondary combustion. in thecombustion chamber |14-, passages such as 28a4 (Fig. 2) may beprovided, such passages being con-- trolled by dempers 29a; (see also- Fig. 3, which shows thepassages 28a).

For each of the re box chambers I6v andl |6'a there is provided a corresponding gratel car |5-y and |5a. Each ofthesegrate carscan be movedlntoaV burningpositionunderl the 're chamber or canbedisplaced to a1 charging andV dumping positionoutsideof the wind box; In Fig. 1, |5-

represents a car in charging position under theV hopper |31. In this gure, |5a' represents a car in` burning position in wind box* 22a beneath the` rechamberv |6a. Each charging carV |5v and' |5a' is provided with a suitablegrate bottom 3|!l and 30a.

Inasmuch as the grate cars are ofidenticallconstruction, one of these cars with its associated mechanism will bedescribedl and itwill beunderstood that the other carV is of like constructionv and that similar reference numerals will apply to it.

The sufix a will beused with the partsV associatedY with the grate car |5a and simple reference numerals Without-.the suffix. a will represent parts associated with the other grate car. Grate. car |5a ink addition to being provided with the grate bottom. 30a. is provided with a number of supporting wheels indicated at 31a. As-.shown,. four sets of wheelsare. provided on. each side; of the grate car but any number may. be'- provided. asV desired. The wheelsY 3.|a support; the. grate.

car upon suitable tracks,v 32a; These tracks.` ex'- tendA into the wind box and also extend slightly.` outside thereof as indicated in Fig. 1.Y Extension tracks 33a are provided.- in. alignment with tracks 32a and such extension tracks are looped back as indicated at 34a. The arrangement of the extension tracks 33a and 34a is such that the wheels of a grate car fit between the upper and lower tracks when the car is advanced over the extension tracks. The extension track structures 33a and 34a are carried on a suitable supporting structure (see Fig. 5), including side plate members 35a'. Trunnion shafts 35a (see Fig. 5) are suitably secured to the plates 35a and such trunnion shafts are suitably mounted in xed bearings 31a. One of the trunnion shafts 36a has secured to it a ring gear 38a, which ring gear through a pinion and worm reduction gear drive generally designates 39a. (Fig. 4) is adapted to be rotated by a motor 40a.. It will be understood that upon current being supplied to the motor 40a that. the supplementary track assemblage will be rotated to reverse position from that shown so that the car will be turned upside down and the contents. dumped into. a discharge hopper 4|a (Fig. 4) Y While the.- car isy in position in the extension tracks it isr maintained in suchv position in any suitable' manner as by a manually operated latch device 42a', (Figs. 5. and 6). Before removal of a. car from the supplementary tracks, the latch will` be retracted by manual manipulation of the handle 42d and. such retraction is also made to permit aA car to. enter the supplementary tracks. In. order toI transfer the car to the-fire chamber or to the. supplementary tracks certaintransfer mechanism is provided.

According tothe embodiment of the invention shown in` Figs. l to 6, such transfer mechanism includes downwardly facing racks 45a' secured to theV bottom of the grate car |5a. With-a car under the re chambers |6a such racks mesh with gear 45a which are ixed upon a cross-shaft 46a'. Shaft 46a extendsbeyond one of the gears 45a and upon such end is provided a spur gear- 47a, which through an intermediate gear 48a (Fig. 6) meshes-with the-gear 49u-` disposed on a shaft 50a, provided. with gearsV 5|`a similar Jto-gears 45a and having, an equal pitch diameter; The shaft 50a isalso-provided-with a suitable sprocket 52a (see Figs. 1 andi 6), which sprocket is driven by' a chain drive-from a motor 53 (Fig. l).

By. rotating theabove described arrangement of shafts in one-direction by means of the motoi`- 53'-, it willbe understood that a carcan be displaced from a position within the wind box to a position without the wind box, or it can be displaced back from the position without the Wind box in the supplementary tracks to a position within theA wind box. The supplementary track structure can be generallyY termed the "grate car dumping mechanism and it willl be understood that a carcan be positioned in this dumping mechanism in upright position to receivea charge, or it can clinker from the: car through hopper dla. Suitable clinker cars can be provided: running. ona trackg54. One of such clinkerl cars is indicated at 55 (Fig. 1) in a position below the dumping hopper 4|.

Provision. is: made: forv charging oversize material into; either.` of theireY chambers, |501.- |6a from the charging floor I0. Suitable: charging openings are provided in the top of thefirezchambersl asv indicated at 565` anda.- (Fig. l). Displaceable` gates` 5.'| and: 5:71aare provided for closing these charging openings. Gates 5l and 57a can. befopened andclosed inany desired manner be reversed to discharge the- CII as by means of separate hydraulic cylinders, one of which, viz. 58a, is indicated in Fig, 2, adapted to operate gate 51a. Gates 51 and 51a when closed, serve to close off the associated fire chambers I6 and IIa and also serve to provide a bottom for the oversize charging hoppers 59 and 59a, which charging hoppers receive the oversize material I2 from the charging floor III.

The operation of the embodiment of the plant thus far described and the new method of refuse disposal, will now be more fully describedwith the diagrammatic views, Figs. 'l to 18 inclusive'. In Fig. 1 the grate car I5 is shown in charging position. When in this position it receives a charge of middling sized Vmaterial from the hopper I3 (Fig. 1). At the timeY when grate car I5 is receivinga charge the other grate car I5a of the incinerating unit is in position within the wind box and below the rewchamber I6a and the damper or gate 23a is in closed position as shown and the contents of such car are burning. The damper I8a is in the open position as shown and indicated in Fig. '1, to establish communication between the fire chamber I6a and the common combustion chamber I1. Damper I8, on the other hand, is in closed position to prevent cold air passing into the combustion chamber due to the open condition of gate 23.

The next step in the operation is to displace the grate car I5 from the Fig. 'l position to the Fig. 8 position within the wind box 22. After the grate car is in such position, gate 23 is shifted to closed position as indicated. Damper I8 is shifted to open position as indicated. The middling sized material Within the grate car is then ignited from below the grate bars by means of the burners as indicated in Fig. 8. Ignition having been completed, the contents of this particular grate car are ready for the next step in the process.

During the following step, oversize material is charged into the fire chamber i6 as indicated in Fig. 9. This oversize material becomes lodged upon the top of the charge of burning middlings in the grate car. Charging is accomplished by opening charging gate 51.

The next step is indicated in Fig. 10. In Fig. 10 the charging gate 51 is shown moved back to closed position, the damper I8 is left in open position and a draft is applied below the grate car I5. This draft is applied until the oversize material is substantially consumed and the middling sized material substantially reduced in volume. The final condition is indicated in Fig. 16.

The next step, so far as grate car I5 is concerned, is to close damper I8, open gate 23 and withdraw the grate car with its charge of clinkered residue tol the position indicated in Fig. 1'1.

The subsequent step is to reverse the position of the grate car and dump the contents as indicated in Fig. 18. The grate car I5 is now righted and is ready for a new cycle of operations again following through the cycle commencing as shown in Fig. 7.

Now referringto grate car I5a, it will be noted that grate car I5a is in the wind box and is burning its charge of oversize vand middlings while the grate car I5 is in charging position. It is also maintained in such burning position in the steps of operation shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10. In Fig. 10 it will be noted that the contents of both grate cars I5 and I5a are being burned and that the oversize material is also being burned. After the step shown in Fig. 10 has been carried out and the oversize and middling material have been reduced by burning or to a suitable residue and bulk for discharging, the draft through I5a is discontinued. The gate 23a is then raised as indicated in Fig. 11. The grate car I 5a is withdrawn and prior to the withdrawal of the grate f5 car the damper I8a is displaced to closed position. The grate car I5a is then dumped and discharged as indicated in Fig. 12. It is now ready to receive a new charge of middlings as indicated in Fig. 13 and then it follows in the steps previously traced for the car I5.

By the above cycle of operations it will be appreciated that the maximum time in thel cycle can be afforded for burning operations. The time of burning Will of course depend upon conditions encountered in practice. By the above arrangement of incinerating unit andsteps of procedure provision is afforded for effecting burning in one grate car when another grate car is being charged, dumped or ignited. In this vway 20`f operation time is saved and the incinerating capacity of a given plant unit is greatly increased. The operation is substantially a continuous one. Continuous burning provides for maintained high temperatures and complete burningof obnoxious 25' gases. n

Figs. 19 and 20 show a slightly modif-led embodiment of plant. In this embodiment of incinerating unit the fire chambers are disposed side by side as before (see Fig. 20). In place of 301 removing the grate cars to the sides of the unit as in the previous embodiment, the grate cars are removed for charging to the front of the unit, i. e. to the left in Figs. 19 and 20. This disposition of the parts of the unit permits the utilizing of hydraulic cylinders 60 and 60a for displacing the grate cars I5 and I5a to and from charging and dumping position and burning position. In other respects the general mode of operation is the same as for the plant unit previously described. Further, according to the embodiment shown in Figs. 19 and 20, the baffle 20h extends vertically upward from the bottom instead of being a dependent baffle as is the case with the embodiment shown in Fig. 2. With the embodiment of the plant shown in Fig. 19 a supplementary ash car 6I may be provided receiving fine ashes from the bottom of the combustion chamber.

With the embodiment shown in Figs. 19 and 20, the middling piles I I on the charging floor I0, are located in a centralized position in place of being in separated points as with the other embodiment. Furthermore, with the embodiment shown in Fig. 19, a common hopper designated I3-I3a is provided for the middlings` for charging both grate cars and separate gates I4 and Ida. can be provided leading from this common hopper to separately dump the middlings into the separate grate cars.

What I claim is:

1. A refuse incinerating furnace provided with a re chamber and a combustion chamber, a charging and clinker discharging station without the furnace chamber, a displaceable grate car 65 and means supporting the same to provide for the alternative disposition of the grate car within the furnace in the fire chamber for the burning of refuse and without the chamber adjacent the aforesaid station for discharging clinker therefrom and for loading the car with refuse, means within the re chamber for igniting the refuse in the grate car from below the grate thereof when the grate car is within the re chamber, a wind box to enclose the grate car and provide for forcing' of' air therethrough and3 meansy providing.' for the'- chargingof additiona refuse uponthe: bm'ning. ref-use in the grate car:

2iv A refuse incinerati-'ng' furnace" with a commor-r combustion chamber, and a pair or' fire chambers disposedv to discharge products of combustion therei'nto and including incombination a pairo! gra-te cars each` dispaceabie to a; position without the furnacev for discharging clinker and chargingeach car, means for charging, each car when without' the furnace; passages between the re chambers and the common combustionchamber, means to closethe massagev between either firel chamber and the common combustion chamber, meansproviding a wind box aboutv eachcar when the same is in place. below the Ii're chamber, means= for igniting a change of refuse in either of? said grate` cars from beibwf the grate thereof, and means for charging additional' refuse upon the burning' refuse ineach grate cai-.-

3".- A- refusedisposalplant comprising an incinerating furnace, including a'- re` chamber and for charging large si'zed refuse thereinto; a loading andf discliargingstation without the re chamber, a shiftable grate car, and meanssupportingthe car' to provide for the disposition ofA the car below the re chamber when the con-- tents of the car are to bei burned toclinker form, and; providing for the shifting of the'- car to an*- other' position away from theV rire chamber and adjacent' theaforesaid station for discharging and? wadingx the canmeans'or igniting the refuse within the car' from below the charge' therein, meansl for' directing a blast' of air: through the car to the` contents thereof' to cli'nker form and to' also: burn the larger size'd refuse charged i-'nt'o the re' chamber to clinker form with reduced bullr-l sothat all of the: clinker may be withdrawn by the Withdrawali of the grate car.

4. A1 refuse disposal plant-comprising a; refuse burningy unitihcluding' a common combustion chamber and a pair of' fire chambers discharging products of combustion thereinto-, a charging and-adischarging station without the re chamber; a pair of grate cars each having" an air pervious hoorA and eachdisposedfcr independent` removai from: association withl one-` iire' chamber to aiv point adjacent the" aforesaid stationy while the other ca-r' ismaintained cooperationx with the other' firex chamber; means for i'gniting the contents of a grate car'by' flame directed through the pervious bottom thereof, means forA burning the material in the grate ear by an air` blast directed' upward through the pervious bottom and through the chargeI inv the car' above said bottom; means for' charging and discharging one car while the-contents: of' the other car is burningin* the -'re chamber, whereby a continuous burning of refuse in the unit may be maintainedV by provid'ng for burning iny oneA ca-r whenl the other car is bei-'ng dischargedE andcharged:

ROBERT Ff LEF'I'WICH 

